Process for sterilizing vacuum



Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Irwin Stone, NewYork, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application June 14, 1933, Serial No. 675,711

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for sterilizing the dirt and dustcontained in vacuum cleaner bags and receptacles.

It is well known and realized that the dust and 5 dirt contained in thereceptacles of suction cleaners are replete with micro-organisms.Scientific investigations have shown the presence of as many as45,000,000 organisms per gram of household dust-many being pathogenic.This collection of germ laden dust in the vacuum cleaner is a healthhazard at all times and especially when the cleaner is in use or beingemptied. The inhalation, by the user, of the microbe laden dust needs nofurther comment as to its unsanitary nature and its effect on oneshealth.

The prior art, I am aware, describes devices for introducing into theair stream, while the suction cleaner is in use, the vapors of variousg0 aromatic chemicals. The vapors of these materials are introduced intothe very rapidly moving air stream. The amount of air passing throughthe cleaner is so large and the available amount of aromatic chemical sosmall that a germicidal concentration of vapors is never obtained. Theemployment of this prior art does no more than pleasantly perfume theair passing through the cleaner giving the user a false sense ofsecurity and is thus positively dangerous as the ordinary sanitaryprecautions are then relaxed. In order to obtain a germicidalconcentration of vapors in the air rapidly passing through the vacuumcleaner, it would necessitate the use of huge n quantities of chemicalsand the user would have to wear a gas mask as concentration necessary toquickly kill the germs would make the air in the room irritating,poisonous or otherwise detrimental to human life.

The object of this invention is to provide a germicidal concentration ofchemical vapor at the points, where and when needed, without thewasteful or deceiving process of introducing chemicals into largevolumes of rapidly moving air.

4 I have found that by using certain finely powdered germicides or bycombining and thoroughly mixing certain pulverulent antiseptic chemicalsubstances with inert colloidal material I could obtain products whichare substantially stable en masse but when highly dispersed decompose togive ofi germicidal vapors.

As examples of these products the following are typical:

1. Finely powdered paraformaldehyde may be used as is, but I prefer touse a mixture consisting of- Parts Paraformaldehyde 50 Infusorial earth50 5 The two substances are finely powdered and thoroughly mixed in anyof the common types of powder mixers.

2. Parts Iodine 25 Air floated talc '75 The iodine is dissolved in asufiicient quantity of chloroform to effect solution. When dissolved thechloroform solution is poured onto the tale and mixed in. Withcontinuous stirring the chloroform is permitted to evaporate therebydepositing on each colloidal particle of talc a film of iodine.

3. Parts Paratoluenesulphonchloramide of sodium 40 Colloidal clay Thetwo substances are finely powdered and thoroughly mixed in a powdermixer.

The foregoing products are cited as typical examples and the scope ofthis patent is not to be confined to these ingredients or proportions.

The mode of use which I have found highly successful is as follows:After the vacuum cleaning is finished a measured quantity of the hereindescribed germicidal material is placed on the fioor and is then suckedinto the vacuum cleaner in the ordinary manner of use, When thepulverulent material strikes the rapidly rotating fan blades it isbroken down into a very fine colloidal dispersion and the moving aircarries this finely subdivided powder and deposits and mingles it withthe dirt in all parts of the receptacle or bag. The suction is thenturned oil and the cleaner 40 then stored until its next use. Duringthis storage period, the germicidal material being in a highly dispersedcondition and intimately mixed with the germ laden dust, decomposes intothe germicidal vapors right at the point needed and as there is nocirculation of air the dust is thoroughly sterilized by long timeexposure to these vapors. A minimum of chemical substance is only neededby this process as the chemical 5 vapors are kept concentrated in theenclosed space as there is no circulation of air and diffusion is at aminimum due to the presence of the colloid-like material which tends toseal the pores in the bag or receptacle.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A process for sterilizing the contents of vacuum cleaner dirtreceptacles which consists in dispersing among said contents, by theaction of the moving air stream, a pulverulent solid, said solidcontaining a high percentage of a solid germicide having a substantiallyhigh vapor pressure so that when it is dispersed it tends to emitgermicidal vapors, and is then stopping the moving air stream andallowing said emitted germicidal vapors to act upon said contents.

2. A process for sterilizing the contents of vacuum cleaner dirtreceptacles which consists'in dispersing among said contents, by theaction of the moving air stream, a pulverulent solid containing a largepercentage of paraformaldehyde, and in then stoppingthe moving airstream and allowing the germicidal vapors to act upon said contents.

3. A process for sterilizing the contents of vacuum cleaner dirtreceptacles which consists in dispersing among said contents, by theaction of the moving air stream, a pulverulent solid comprisingapproximately 50 parts by weight of paraformaldehyde and 50 parts byweight of infusorial earth, and in then stopping the moving air streamand allowing the germicidal vapors to act upon said contents.

IRWIN STONE.

